of Montreal "Song Dynasties" Feature-Length Documentary

$94,844

1,124

THE STORY BEHIND SONG DYNASTIES

After the release of Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? in 2007, Kevin had the idea to record of Montreal performing back-to-back nights in Los Angeles at the Avalon.

With the help of friend Craig Zobel (Compliance, Great World of Sound), a crew was assembled and the first multi-camera professional quality shoot was attempted of the band.

The following fall, filmmaker Jason Miller began documenting the Skeletal Lamping tour. With a show featuring just as many non-musical performers as musicians on stage, this tour was far and away the biggest live production we had ever attempted to that point.

Jason rode on the bus for the first week of the tour, capturing moments on stage and off, and was in attendance for the now infamous show where Kevin took the stage on horseback. Following his week on the road, Jason assembled a crew and filmed our entire set at the Tabernacle in Atlanta.

Then we just kept filming. We had cameras rolling everywhere we went: music festivals (Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Culture Collide), on the tour bus, backstage, in the studio -- nowhere was off limits.

We even just discovered a box of old camcorder tapes that date back to the very early days of the band. This is the earliest of Montreal footage known to exist.

Earlier this year, we realized that we literally had 100s of hours of footage. As 2012 comes to a close, we are finishing what has developed into a comprehensive, feature-length documentary showing of Montreal from the beginning to the present date.

This project is 16 years in the making. We are asking for your help to finally bring this film to life.

In order to finish the film, which we've titled Song Dynasties, we need to bring a crew on the road to shoot the final round of footage and conduct interviews, as well as pay for their flights, costly venue filming fees, digitizing dozens of old tapes, lots of hard drives to store the footage, editing the documentary and the list of expenses goes on and on.

If this Kickstarter project is successful, we’ll be able to wrap filming and editing this winter and have a final cut of the film in March!

In return for your pledge, we're offering a number of exclusive rewards:

SONG DYNASTIES KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE DELUXE DVD

We will make an exclusive limited edition, hand-numbered version of Song Dynasties with special packaging just for Kickstarter backers.

This deluxe version of the DVD will never be available anywhere else. We will only make as many as people pledge for.

YOUNG FROTH/TAYPISS KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE VINYL

Kevin recently digitized some of his old four track cassettes and put together a collection of 14 of the earliest of Montreal recordings. None of these songs have ever been heard or released before.

Here's a sneak peak at one of the tracks - "Propaganda"

We will be pressing Young Froth/Taypiss on 180-gram colored vinyl and are offering it exclusively on Kickstarter.

All of the copies will be hand-numbered and include a 320kbps MP3 download code.

You will never be able to buy this collection of songs on vinyl anywhere else. We will only make as many as people pledge for.

ALL ACCESS VIP TOUR PASSES

We're offering 8 different All Access VIP passes from past of Montreal tours. These were worn every day on tour by the band and our crew. You will receive one chosen at random from the passes pictured below (sorry, they won't get you all access anymore -- unless you build a time machine to take you back to when the tour happened).

ALL THAT SWAG

Here's your chance to get the world's largest of Montreal merch bundle -- including incredible art pieces designed by Nina and David Barnes along with 3 7"s and 7 CDs.

YOU'RE ON STAGE

This is your chance to be on stage during an of Montreal show! We'll dress you and a friend up in a costume and let you dance around with us for one song. (This reward also includes 2 guest list spots and a meet & greet with us before the show.)

TEST PRESSINGS

For the first time ever, we're offering the original test pressings of Satanic Panicin the Attic, The Sunlandic Twins, and Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?. 10 or less of each were made.

UNIQUE PROPS

You can own the 10 ft. dress Kevin wore in the "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" video & Hissing Fauna tour, including Coachella.

Photo by: Sebastian Hernandez, Merryswankster.com

Or the tear-away jacket Kevin wore when we performed "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

And even the canoe used in the "Coquet Coquette" music video. Because this item is so large, you have to come pick it up from Athens, GA.

P.S. We're not sure if it floats anymore, but it does come with a trailer!

WATCH SONG DYNASTIES WITH OF MONTREAL

We'll pay for your flight (U.S. only) and a hotel room to come watch Song Dynasties with us! You have to supply the popcorn. (Just kidding -- no popcorn allowed. We're not letting your buttery fingers touch our furniture.)

Risks and challenges

We have such an overwhelming amount of footage, that it's going to be a huge challenge to piece it all together in a way that is interesting and still has all of the cool stuff we want people to see.

Luckily, we have a great group of friends/filmmakers who have been involved with this project for years and who continue to be dedicated to helping this documentary see the light of day.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

YOU'RE ON STAGE: everything in the $100 level + 2 guest list spots to any of Montreal show in 2013 + meet and greet with the band prior to show + You and a friend will be on stage during an of Montreal show (the band will dress both of you in costume and you'll dance around with the band for a song)